Arcatia

Supercorporations

Nearly every credit on Arcatia has been, at some point, in the hands of a Supercorporation. More than simply a large company, Supercorporations are practically nations unto themselves, defended by a legion of lawyers and ranks of private security officers. Though they are an inherently Serican invention, they can be found across the planet. The adversarial relationship between supercorporations and government is limited mostly to Serica, and the other nations of Arcatia do everything they can to keep the reigns on these economic powerhouses.

Almost every supercorporation has one or more of its own banks, capable of providing a variety of loans and financial options to employees and ‘outsiders’ alike. Each also functions as a self contained stock market. Investors can choose to put their money not just in the slow but sure growth of the company, but also to gamble on individual firms, divisions, and development programs that might have potential. Most employ protective measures to ensure money never leaves the corporation once invested. While a particular element may crash and be sold into worthlessness, the company can shift its financial weight and encourage others to pick up the slack, preventing significant loss of investors even with great shifts in the market.

Supercorporations have more than resources to encourage employee loyalty and expand their networks. Most sponsor their own education systems, up through graduate level programs in a variety of fields. Almost every private university bears a corporate logo. They purchase and rent housing facilities by the thousands, and provide incentives for using any and all ‘options’ they provide. Serican Supercorporations often employ their own security forces, bringing their authority and reach dangerously close to that of the government itself.